10 Hilarious ways we waste money without knowing it
Want to find out the ways we waste money without knowing it? In this article, we’ll talk about those little things we spend money on that is taking away funds that could be spent elsewhere.
As humans, we sometimes put in a lot of effort, and energy to make money. But, often enough, we spend a huge amount of our earnings without knowing we even did in the first place. Money is so sneaky, it could leave our hands within seconds!
In this present world, money has become an integral part of our lives and without it, most people would be so sad and would be unable to function. Most times, we tend to look for avenues on how to save money, but right now, we have to look at the ways we waste money and try to stop them.
In this article, we will learn how we waste money a lot and what to do about it.
Excessive Usage of Credit and ATMs Cards
Frequent usage of your credit and ATM cards can make you feel very comfortable but could also be very tricky because it piles up so much interest rates which are disadvantageous for your financial health.
The ease and convenience that comes with using your credit and ATM cards to purchase things, can equally influence your purchasing decisions, which is not good if you really want to save money.
This problem can be salvaged by setting every credit card you have to automatically pay the entire balance every month instead of the minimum balance. In this way, you do not need to bother about making all your payments on time or even spending money on undesired interest.
Use your bank directly to perform operations could also be helpful to avoid unnecessary charges.
Buying mostly with cash would give you more value for your money because you really feel the trade-off and it will help guide your purchasing decisions.
Purchasing out of Impulse
Purchases without careful consideration are an awful way that can get over your budget unknowingly. Think about it, let’s say you’re shopping with a planned budget, then suddenly you see a beautiful wrist-watch starring at you charmingly.
Once you impulsively buy that wrist-watch, your planned budget has been deterred and you will now have to find a way to get more money to buy things you actually budgeted for, such as food items and other essentials.
The first step of getting over this issue is to acknowledge that you have impulsive purchasing traits. One thing you must know is that whether you purchase things online or offline, you are spending money on items that give you instant happiness, appreciation, or status from other people, but they can never help you save money.
Acknowledge that trait and start working towards breaking it. To achieve financial freedom, you must control your impulses.
So, next time before going to any place that you know you will definitely spend money, take time to plan a budget and do everything to stick to it
Unwanted Subscriptions
Sometimes, you might have subscribed to a service that seemed useful to you at that moment. The price might have looked so small to you that you did not pay so much attention to it.
But, as the years go by and you start seeing lots of money being debited from your account and that is when you start wondering whether your bank account has been hacked.
Sometimes, if you do a thorough check, you will notice that you have several unwanted subscriptions that are no longer useful to you but are still running under your account and doing away with money that should be spent on something else.
To fix the problem, simply do a thorough check on
To fix this problem, you have to be very sensitive and try as much as you can to cancel or unsubscribe to any services immediately you no longer use them.
Costly Coffee
Coffee is good and has become so essential to so many people around the world.
However, there’s just one thing you must be careful about.
We all love that special coffee brew, but sometimes we’ve got to turn it down a bit.
You may choose to go to an expensive coffee shop just to get a good coffee experience, but that means you will be spending more money.
To fix this problem, you will have to let go of patronizing expensive coffee shops.
Instead, practice the habit of going to the office with your own coffee.
Alternatively, you can purchase regular coffee from shops that give you a discount anytime you come with your own cup.
However, what we do recommend is ensuring that you spend more time brewing your own coffee than buying outside.
Needless To Pay For Things You Can Do Yourself
There are a lot of things you pay for that you can actually do by yourself. You can imagine a student paying for someone to do his or her assignment. The student would have saved lots of money if he or she did that assignment, and gained the knowledge as well.
Look around you, there might be a few things you are paying for that can be covered in your spare time. Look around your home, office, and other properties you own.
Maybe your lawn needs a trim, and you regularly hire someone to take care of it. If you have more time on your hands,
Count your commodities and those things you can do by yourself. Once you have noted them, try to do them yourself, rather than spend money unnecessarily on them.
Go And Claim Your Money
Do you know that there are excessive amounts of money that have not yet been claimed and part of that money could belong to you?
Now take a moment and ask yourself few questions such as: did I cash all my payroll checks before leaving my last job?
Did I collect back my security deposit before leaving my previous apartment? Do I have any bank account that I must have forgotten or trust distributions?
Do you know that each state runs a program that ensures that “lost money” is being returned to the main owner? So, to fix this problem, go to MissingMoney.com then type your name and state(make sure you try every state you have ever lived in).
If you see any unclaimed property, immediately start the claiming process from the same website. After filling some of your personal data, the state will mail you in about two weeks and you can get your unclaimed money.
Odd Jobs And Little Repairs Around Your House
Odd jobs around you and little repairs around your house can make you spend so much money without you even know it. For instance, if you want to do a little painting in your kitchen, you can watch YouTube videos on how to do little paintings around the house.
To fix this problem, learn to google any issue first and see whether you can do it yourself before taking any other further action. If it is a task that needs a professional, then try to save money by seeing whether you can source and buy the materials yourself.
However, there are a good number of things you should be better off consulting the pros about. So, before you decide to so a little DIY, ensure it’s actually safe and you are truly capable of doing the job on your own.
Do The Necessary
Most times when you want to embark on a journey, it is always very good and necessary to begin booking your flight ticket and booking for your hotel accommodation on time.
You know most times it is cheaper when you book on time than when you book at that very moment. Though last minutes deals could be wonderful but it is difficult to come by.
To fix this problem, avoid procrastination and always do what is required before the moment, to avoid last-minute rush and unnecessary high rates.
Prolonged Warranties
Warranties are great but, when it gets extended too much it could become an avenue for more cash for the retailers and loss of money for ordinary customers.
You can imagine getting a prolonged protection plan for a talking teddy bear, it is just a mere waste of money. Most of the time, there is no point paying a prolonged warranty for services or products, unless for very few expectations.
It is preferable to store your receipts properly so that you can access your normal return policy and warranty for any big items. You can also select a plan for only costly items that could be very expensive to replace.
Be Careful With Special Deals
Most times when shopping online or offline, you will stumble over several special offers, discounts, deals, and coupons.
For instance, you stumble over a product that would normally be sold at $200 and you see it been advertised to be sold for $20, you know that is really tempting.
Most brands know that at that moment you would be possessed by the “fear of missing out” on such an incredibly low amount. No matter how cheap the product might be, if it isn’t useful to you, you will only waste money by buying it. Trust me, this is one of the most common ways to waste money without knowing it.
So next time you are shopping online or offline, and you see special offers, deals, discounts, or coupons prices for products, control yourself, and never allow your emotional purchasing responses to control you. If you have a shopping list, then stick to it.
Therefore, your shopping list should be the first thing you consult, when you see that mouthwatering offer. If it’s something you truly need, then go for it.
Concluding thoughts
After working so hard for your money, you should be careful about how you use it. Avoid going for things that provide instant gratification.
Your money is better spent on long-term investments or those essentials that you, your family, and loved ones truly need. Now you know about the most subtle ways to waste money without knowing it, you can take proactive steps to ensure that that habit is a thing of the past.
However, on a personal note, I used to spend most of my money on coffee and eating outs, but today, I’ve saved a lot more money than I could imagine by doing away these habits. So, I want to hear your plight – what do you spend money on that isn’t really okay in the long run? Please share your answers in the comments section.